Stephen wrote...
"Christian activists say the state laws [forbidding cohabitation without marriage] are worth fighting for, but acknowledge that cohabitation is "part of the life we live now," says Brian Fahling, senior trial attorney at the American Family Association's Center for Law & Policy in Tupelo, Miss. One reason: Unwed couples are more than three times as likely as married couples to report incidents of domestic violence, reports the National Survey of Families and Households.
"Our forefathers were wise, and such laws as the cohabitation law here in North Carolina are really important for holding up moral standards," says the Rev. Mark Creech, director of the Christian Action League.
"Cohabitation simply imitates marriage, but without actually creating the internal, the emotional, the moral and the legal structure that protects couples."
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Aubyn writes...
I can contribute some factoids from a secondary source, for what they might be worth (I had to teach an emergency section of a Family course last year).
I note first that while possible differences between cohabitating and married couples is a valid, interesting, complex, important and strictly empirical line of inquiry, there are two highly dubious assertions in the passage cited above that have nothing to do with any potential empirical differences:
"Christian activists say the state laws [forbidding cohabitation without marriage] are worth fighting for, but acknowledge that cohabitation is "part of the life we live now," says Brian Fahling, senior trial attorney at the American Family Association's Center for Law & Policy in Tupelo, Miss. One reason: Unwed couples are more than three times as likely as married couples to report incidents of domestic violence, reports the National Survey of Families and Households.
"Our forefathers were wise, and such laws as the cohabitation law here in North Carolina are really important for holding up moral standards," says the Rev. Mark Creech, director of the Christian Action League.
"Cohabitation simply imitates marriage, but without actually creating the internal, the emotional, the moral and the legal structure that protects couples."
Send me something.
Aubyn writes...
I can contribute some factoids from a secondary source, for what they might be worth (I had to teach an emergency section of a Family course last year).
I note first that while possible differences between cohabitating and married couples is a valid, interesting, complex, important and strictly empirical line of inquiry, there are two highly dubious assertions in the passage cited above that have nothing to do with any potential empirical differences:
- 1) That if cohabitation was correlated with (or even caused) greater levels of violence it would legitimate laws forbidding it. I suspect we could find other variables associated with increased negative relationship outcomes (age, SES, geography, religion?) but aside from a baseline age limitation such findings would usually not be seen as reasons to legally forbid marriage. Indeed, such findings could at least as easily be used to argue that society should find more ways to legitimate and support non-marriage alternatives.
- 2) That any negative outcome associated with cohabitation demonstrates that the family rules of "our forefathers" (not exactly sure who these forefathers are, but context suggests something from the so-called "Judeo-Christian" tradition) are wise and should be followed. Space does not permit here a recounting of all of the family rules from this tradition which would be seen as morally abhorrent where not downright illegal today.
Also, and of course, to the extent that non-cohabiters are
more likely to have strong religious commitments, any differences between them
and cohabitators before or after marriage may be due to these religious
difference, and not the effects of cohabitation themselves. There are likely
other confounding variables as well.
From the textbook by Benokraitis, N. V. (2005). Marriages and Families: Changes, Choices, and Constraints, 5th edition. New York: Prentice Hall
There has been a large increase in absolute numbers of cohabitating relationships (CR) over last 50 years: 50,000 in 1950; 6 million in 2000
Still, CRs are in the minority (9% of households in a CR vs. 52% married)
Median length of a CR = 15 - 18 months; 50% end in marriage
Most cohabitators are in their mid 30's to 40's
Divorce rate for married couples who had not been cohabitators after 10 years = 33%;
Divorce rate for married couples who had been cohabitators = 62%
Divorce risks increase with increasing number of previous cohabitating relationships. Two suggested explanations:
From the textbook by Benokraitis, N. V. (2005). Marriages and Families: Changes, Choices, and Constraints, 5th edition. New York: Prentice Hall
There has been a large increase in absolute numbers of cohabitating relationships (CR) over last 50 years: 50,000 in 1950; 6 million in 2000
Still, CRs are in the minority (9% of households in a CR vs. 52% married)
Median length of a CR = 15 - 18 months; 50% end in marriage
Most cohabitators are in their mid 30's to 40's
Divorce rate for married couples who had not been cohabitators after 10 years = 33%;
Divorce rate for married couples who had been cohabitators = 62%
Divorce risks increase with increasing number of previous cohabitating relationships. Two suggested explanations:
- Selection effect
Many people who cohabitate were poor marriage candidates to begin with, but half of them wind up getting married anyway. - Cohabitation experience
Cohabitating decreases value on long-term relationship commitment and decreases tolerance for difficulty and pain in relationship (increasing likelihood of the "quick escape").
Compared to married couples, cohabitators demonstrate: level
of commitment, lower levels of happiness & satisfaction,
increased alcohol problems, increased extra-relationship sexual
affairs
Cohabitators are more likely to engage in negative relationship behavior in later marriage (including over-controlling, verbal aggression, and anger) than married couples who did not cohabitate.
**************************************************
Aubyn Fulton, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Chair, Department of Psychology & Social Work
Pacific Union College
Angwin, CA 94508
Office: 707-965-6536
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*****************************************************
---Cohabitators are more likely to engage in negative relationship behavior in later marriage (including over-controlling, verbal aggression, and anger) than married couples who did not cohabitate.
**************************************************
Aubyn Fulton, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Chair, Department of Psychology & Social Work
Pacific Union College
Angwin, CA 94508
Office: 707-965-6536
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*****************************************************
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